Seiwa Yumehira
Seiwa Yumehira (夢ひら清和天, Yumehira Seiwa) is a spiritually-aware student at Karakura High School. Due to being killed in a hostage situation, attempting to save the life of a small boy, he was forced to wander as a Plus. However, upon meeting, and failing to defeat, Kamui Kawahiru, Seiwa was thrust into the world of the Shinigami. In the midst of his beginning missions, Seiwa was challenged by Yūryaku Amida to enter the Hell Tournament in order to settle things in a more sporting manner. And so, along with his teacher, he orchestrated Team Yumehira. Appearance Personality Having no father and with his mother always off somewhere else, getting drunk or partying, Seiwa has grown up in a very neglectful environment. He is seen as very soft-spoken, rarely raising his voice or even standing up for his ideals. Seiwa puts up a strong front at times, despite coming off as shy, but both of these traits seem to be fake. However, this personality was short-lived, as his mother soon caught a fatal sickness and passed away. From there, he became withdrawn and silent, and was shown to become violently angry with fellow students at the high school. Despite this, however, Seiwa is shown to be very protective of the Taekwondo students he taught. This was painfully evident as he died protecting one of the students from an assailant's rifle. The thought of his death didn't change much of his outlook on things, as he felt the same as when he was alive: alone, and taking care of himself. However, his patience for things lessened as he experienced fights with Hollow. Seiwa became short tempered, impulsive, and ever grew to enjoy intimidating those who were afraid of him. He began to question why he protected the civilians of Karakura Town, when they didn't ever care for him; even writing him off as a "coarse and common individual." Soon enough, Seiwa's ideals had transformed. However, he always kept himself beyond thoughts such as revenge or killing. Even when confronting Hollows, he always tried to find a way to end the fight by forcing the Hollow to retreat. History Seiwa was born to his unnamed mother and unseen father in the Okinawa Prefecture. He lived a simple and normal life, despite the lack of a father figure in his life. At the age of eight, he attempted to enroll at an Aikido school, but was rejected due to being too soft when it came to fighting (something considered strange as Aikido is used to deal damage without use of force). However, his luck turned as he came across a small run-down school that taught Taekwondo. The student count was small, but from the look of things, the sensei teaching was neither judgemental, nor did he reject a student for something as silly as motive. For the following four years, he had trained in the Korean-native art of Taekwondo, earning a Black belt upon the age of fourteen. After another two years, Seiwa obtained his second-degree Black Belt. His sensei knew that Seiwa understood the deep, true meaning of Taekwondo; to be used for more than violence and self-defense, but also for spiritual understanding. Despite being young, Seiwa was awarded the position of Assistant Sensei, and was seen as a role-model for the students he taught. Another year went by, and all was well for Seiwa. However, this time of prosperity for the young instructor was short-lived, as his mother caught a fatal sickness. She soon died that following year, prompting Seiwa to become more distant and cold in personality. One day, during the class he was teaching, three armed assailants ordered for the head sensei to empty out the money he had obtained through memberships. Refusing to comply, he was shot several times, as the guns were soon pointed for the children. Seiwa refused to allow this, and attempted to attack one of the robbers, but the latter effortlessly pushed him back with brute force, causing Seiwa to fall flat on his butt. Losing patience rather quickly, one of the assailants prepared to shoot through the head of one of the children, but moments before the trigger was pulled, Seiwa jumped in front of the shot, ending up with a bullet through the heart. Unaware what transpired after that, Seiwa found himself atop of the same building that housed the Taekwondo school. He had noticed that his sensei had survived the barrage of bullets, and that none of the students were harmed. The robbers were caught, and all the money stolen was returned. However, something strange caught Seiwa's eye, as he looked to see a tombstone lodged in the backyard space behind the school. The sensei held a bouquet of flowers, and each student held a single rose, each respectfully placing it on the tombstone. As Seiwa got closer, he was shocked to see the name that was read on the tombstone: "Seiwa Yumehira". Synopsis Shinigami Representative Saga Confused and disoriented on the concept of his death, Seiwa wandered Karakura Town, trying to get the attention of the townspeople. However, being a spirit, Seiwa lacked the ability to be seen by normal humans. He came across the same Aikido school that rejected him all those years ago, and decided to watch during one of their lessons. He caught eye of a young girl, around 16, taking down three buff teenagers almost effortlessly. Capavated by this girl's skill, he had lost track of the time, as night fell. Walking along the streets, the air was cold and quiet, as a blood-curling scream soon filled the skies. A monster with large claws, wearing a white mask crashed into the streets near Seiwa. Shocking the latter, Seiwa ran for his live up and down the streets, but the large monster continued to persue him. Finally, he remembered all of his lessons in Taekwondo, both mental and physical. With a jerk of the waist, he turned to face the Hollow as it approached. Seiwa jumped up and roundhouse-kicked the large monster, shattering the mask. However, all this accomplished was a broken mask, revealing a distorted face. The face was his mother's, as Seiwa's face froze with chills. The monster proceeded to tackle Seiwa, as the latter was propelled into a building. As the monster continued the assault, a large cannon of energy exploded from Seiwa's location, crashing into the monster's face, s it keeled over, fading from view. Seiwa stood top the wreckage, realizing that the attack came from his own finger. Shocked from the events that had transpired, Seiwa stared at his finger, almost flabbergasted at what he just did, if it was really him that did it. Understanding that whatever power this was, it was strong, and must be used to vanquish these monsters. Seiwa finally felt like he held the power to protect, and wanted to make up for his inability to save his mother and his students. Seiwa appointed himself the title Karakura Town's Spiritual Defender, and planned to train himself to learn to use that power correctly. The next few months was filled with personal training in the woods, as well as battles involving the monsters that resembled the one he fought all those nights ago. The battles were painful, but strengthened Seiwa's resolve as well as power and skill. One night, however, he had stationed himself at the top of the high school, learning to sense out these monsters now. A flying winged monster had appeared, as Seiwa raised his finger. However, the bird monster was instantly cut in two, falling as rain made of blood. Confused by this, a voice from behind quickly caused Seiwa to jump forward and turn to face a purple-haired man holding a sword, likely the one who cut down the monster. Seiwa asked if this man was friend or foe, but the purple-haired man ignored this. He asked if Seiwa was a Shinigami, and if so, where was his Zanpakutō. Seiwa looked confused at the mention of Zanpakutō, prompting the purple-haired man to facepalm. Seiwa, having the idea that this man was an enemy, aimed his finger and fired his attack for the purple-haired man's head, as it blew up right in the man's face. Annoyed, the purple-haired man kicked Seiwa in the stomach, pushing him off the building. Seiwa hit his head on the ground below, and lost conciousness. Once Seiwa came to, he found himself floating in the air, desperating trying to stay up by making swimming motions. The purple-haired man from before told him to relax and focus his spiritual energy to his feet. Having knowledge of spirit energy, this was easy for Seiwa to preform, as he stood on the sky as if it was second nature. Once regaining his composure, Seiwa asked for the man's name. The man addressed himself as Kamui, asking for the boy's name as well. Seiwa addressed himself by his full name, and also questioned why Kamui had arrived in Karakura, and what exactly was he. Kamui told him all about the Soul Society, as well as Shinigami, Hollow, and everything that was considered basic knowledge. However, in the midst of their conversation, a large hole ripped in the skies above even them. Inside the sky rift, appeared a massive monster with a black cloak, wearing a similar white mask as all those monsters prior. Kamui stated that this was a Menos, and told Seiwa to stand back as no Human could hope to attack such a beast. However, Seiwa told Kamui to beat it, explaining that he is Karakura's protector, and he will deal with the Menos. He charged forward, holding his finger out as a small energy ball appeared at his fingertips. A massive burst of energy escaped his fingertip, colliding into the mask of the Menos, only barely damaging it. The Menos opened its mouth, forming a massive Cero as it fired upon Seiwa, overwhelming the teenager as he crashed into the streets below. Kamui was quick to write him off as dead, preparing to kill the Menos with his own attack. However, Kamui was shocked as he sensed a massive energy forming around Seiwa below, as a large burst of energy exploded from Seiwa's location into the Menos, actually breaking through the Menos's mask, as it slowly retreated inside its Garganta. Kamui looked a look down, and saw that Seiwa had collapsed, with strange black markings surrounding the boy's body, but slowly retreated as the smoke from the attack cleared. He jumped down to Seiwa's body, and picked him up, remarking that the boy's spiritual potential has the might to even surpass himself and Seireitou. This came as a shocking revelation, but nevertheless, he opened up a portal and took the boy's body with him to the Soul Society. Seiwa awoke in a hospital bed, noticing that five people were surrounding his bed. He recognized one as the man from before, Kamui. The other four were unfamiliar, but he noticed that each of these men were immense in strength. He was still weak with exhastion, but overheard the men giving Kamui a hard time about bringing Seiwa to the Soul Society. He soon passed out once more, awaking again several hours later. He saw Kamui sitting in a chair near the bed, asking if he feels any better. Seiwa nodded, and asked where he was, with Kamui explaining that he brought Seiwa to the Soul Society; more specifically, the Seijin Temple, HQ of the Order of the Seijin. Seiwa asked if those men from earlier were angry with Kamui for bringing him here, but Kamui disclaims that. He states that one of the men, Seireitou, was his younger brother and was discussing the sudden interest of Seiwa's strange powers. Kamui took Seiwa's hand and examined it, asking if Seiwa could preform that massive spiritual canon again, the one used to defeat the Menos. He also asked what those markings on Seiwa's body were; both questions confused Seiwa greatly. He took back his hand from Kamui, and explained that he can only used the attack three times a day, and would rather not waste the third shot for a demonstration. Kamui then explained that Seiwa should meet with Master Kyō, which possesses similar powers to that of Seiwa's technique. He promised to take Seiwa up to the path, but he would have to make the journey himself. Reluctant at first, he knew his current level of power wouldn't compare to the ones living in this world, and so he agreed. Kamui brought Seiwa up to a long forest path, and explained that Master Kyō was on the peak of the mountain. Seiwa stared at the incredible distance, remarking that he could never reach there. Kamui told Seiwa that if he wishes, he would bring him back to the Human World, where he could live out the remainder of his life, running away from Hollow. Coming to his final decision, as he ran head-first into the forest, earning him a smirk from Kamui. Seiwa fought his way through several trees, Hollow, and even through personal turmoil; hunger, exhastion, and loss of resolve. He fell on his back at the base of the Mountain, stating that he was going to give up. He began to think back to his happy times; his mother, though estranged, was still alive; he had students who adored him and respected him, and his sensei had treated him like a son. He knew that he wasn't doing this just for himself, but to protect the town he vowed to protect. He felt it raining, and as the drops poured on his face, he tightened his eyes. He forced himself up, and looked straight up, beginning to climb up the mountain. He ignored the rain, and forced himself to climb further and further. After two hours, he finally reached a ledge of the Mountain, where he took the time to rest. However, Seiwa was ambushed by three flying Hollow, which he easily took down with his Spirit blast; three shots apiece. He continued his climb up, and reached the peak finally. He took a second to regain his breath, as an elder man appeared before him, greeting him crudely. Seiwa looked up, asking if it was Master Kyō, to which the man nodded. Master Kyō and Seiwa spoke inside the former's home, as Seiwa asked if Kyō would train him. Without even considering it, Master Kyō answered with no, telling Seiwa to go home. Angered by this, Seiwa yelled out that he worked hard to get up the mountain, to which Master Kyō said that "work is only as hard as you make it, anything can be easy, anything can be hard." And with that, Master Kyō asked Seiwa once more to leave. Seiwa walked out the door, and turned to face Master Kyō. He said that he needed that power in order to grow up. He wanted the power to protect his home, and attempted one final persuasion; he dropped down to his knees, and looked down, bowing to Master Kyō, begging once more if he would train him. Master Kyō's voice suddenly rose, sounding much more calm and welcoming, as he asked Seiwa if he would do anything to gain this power, even die. Seiwa spoke loud and fast, answering with yes, as Master Kyō stroked his beard. Kyō decided to accept Seiwa as his student, as the two began the training. Seiwa was trained for several weeks by Master Kyō to obtain his Zanpakutō. However, Seiwa had noticed that he couldn't hear a voice within him. Master Kyō remarked that, for a Shinigami, this was a strange concurrence. Determined to force the spirit within to emerge, Master Kyō attacked Seiwa with his own Zanpakutō. Dodging attack after attack, Seiwa cried out why Master Kyō was attacking him, but the Master would not answer him, merely attempting to bifurcate him on the next strike. As Seiwa ran from his attacks, he called himself pathetic over and over again. Was this it? Was this the limit of his power? Seiwa turned to face Master Kyō, as the latter cut a large gash right through Seiwa's shoulder. Picking up his uninjured arm, Seiwa prepared to shoot down Master Kyō with a spirit attack. However, this was all for naught, as Master Kyō gut-punched the young Shinigami, and attempted a final strike to end Seiwa's life. Then, a sudden burst of spiritual energy erupted from Seiwa's body, pushing Master Kyō back. Out of the smoke caused by the eruption, Seiwa stood with his shirt torn off. His chest was covered in strange markings, akin to those from the battle against the Menos. Not only that, but his hair had become thicker and longer, gray in color. His facial expression had become fierce, as if Seiwa was no longer in control. Master Kyō then released his Zanpakutō; Rise, Haigara no Fenikkusu. However, this Seiwa grabbed Master Kyō's blade before it could even be swung. He stared into his master's eyes, shocking even the latter. With a strengthened grip, Seiwa shattered Master Kyō's Zanpakutō, and kicked the latter in his stomach, forcing him to fly backwards, crashing into the wall of his estate. The spiritual energy emitted with the attack left Master Kyō's stomach badly burned, as he attempted to stand once more, completely shocked by the power shown by this form. This led to wondering if Seiwa was even a Shinigami, or even a Vizard; and if he was, it was nothing seen before. Seiwa rose his arm, charging a red version of his spirit attack, and much brighter according to Master Kyō. The attack was then fired, Master Kyō using Bakudō #81: Danku to deflect the attack, but only barely, as a large crack was shown in the mirror shield in the aftermath of the attack. However, Seiwa was then shown to have passed out, regaining his normal appearance. The Hell Tournament Saga Powers & Abilities Immense Spiritual Power: Seiwa seems to hold great spiritual power, evident from his ability to see spirits such as Shinigami and Hollow effortlessly. Upon meeting him, Kamui noted that Seiwa held immense potential within him. His training with Master Kyō had allowed him to attain new levels of spiritual power. The color of his spiritual energy is blue, and takes the form of a massive bird when being unleashed. His spiritual power is noted to be heavy, which surprised Tōsan Getsueikirite, a lieutenant-ranked Shinigami. Seiwa constantly gives off reiatsu at the level of a lieutenant, and then during the Hell Tournament, the level of a Captain. It is so overwhelming that even when worn-out in battle, he can continue fighting effectively while still capable of unleashing Konjōheki, surpassing the four-per-day limit at the beginning of the series. Due to this and that he has far more spiritual energy than his body can consciously contain, it leaks out constantly, preventing him from hiding it and effectively making stealth impossible when dealing with other spiritually-aware beings. However, he has learned how to harden his spiritual energy and enhance the strength of his attacks or act as a barrier to reduce the impact of attacks on him, if not negating them completely. *'Konjōheki' (精神バースト, spirit burst; literally "blast of spiritual energy"): By focusing the spiritual power within him to his fist or finger, he can fire off a considerably large burst of energy. It can be from a small shot to a full-sized cannon blast. It's only weakness is that Seiwa can only use it a certain number of times per day, due to having a seemingly average spirit reserve. Upon training with Master Kyō, he was able to give it a name, which allows the full power of the attack to be utilized. Taekwondo Master: Despite being young, Seiwa held immense skill in the martial art Taekwondo. Utilizing kicks and punches, as well as locks and sweeps, Seiwa had trained himself to become a lethal weapon in battle. Even in battle against Hollow, these skills proved to assist greatly. He utilized his spiritual energy with his Taekwondo and mastered a new style he named Reikō Dōshitai (精神体の方法, "way of the spirit body"). It works by using your body as a center for your spirit energy, in sense, making your whole body a weapon. Doing so returns your body to the time it was at its peak. It was once compared to that of Shunkō, but Kamui called it "something different; something new." Enhanced Endurance & Durability: Seiwa possesses incredible endurance, able to resist even a full-force Cero from a Gillian-class Menos. He was also able to take on a direct hit from Master Kyō's Zanpakutō, albeit it was in its sealed state, without wavering. Seiwa was able to fight an opponent who was armed with a katana, and shrug off the latter's attacks with his bare palms. Flash Steps Expert: Though not particularly versed in its various techniques, Seiwa has become proficient enough of the technique itself to keep up and even surprise high-level Shinigami with his speed. Even Koga Tensei, one of the most proficient users of Flash Steps in Soul Society, complimented Seiwa's growing mastery of the technique. Unique Transformation Transformation: Something unique to him and him alone, Seiwa had the ability to access a strange new form which was considered his highest echelon of power. This was first shown in a battle with Master Kyō, where the latter had attacked Seiwa in an attempt to awaken his Zanpakutō. However, this failed as Seiwa took on a strange new form. His hair became thick and untamed, gray in color. Two triangular markings were seen on both arms respectively, along two scratch-shaped marks on the sides of his upper chest, pointing up to a double-winged bird marking on his chest. His shoulders each held a more unique marking, a circle with a curve under it, the middle of the curve extending downwards slightly. During the beginning stages of the Hell Tournament, Seiwa had learned to utilize the transformation by his own will. The second time, and every time that followed, the hair became just as thick and long, but became jet black. The physical, mental, and spiritual aspects that are influenced by this state are incredible, but it seems that not unlike the Hollow masks used by Vizard, this form has a set time-limit for how long Seiwa can maintain this state. In times of peril, however, or when he has passed out, an unknown force seems to take over his body, returning the hair color to gray. :Overwhelming Spiritual Power: The power exhibited by Seiwa in this state is absolutely monstrous. The color seems to have changed from its normal blue, to a menacing dark red. It has also become noticeably thicker, being able to suffocate Humans that are within his general vicinity. Suzaku Kawahiru had compared Seiwa's spiritual energy in this state with the likes of Seireitou. :*'Enhanced Konjōheki:' While in this state, Seiwa's Konjōheki has increased its power as well. Now red in color, its power is great enough to effortlessly punch through an Adjuchas-level Cero. He can also fire them now with rapid succession, in a similar manner that Coyote Starrk fires his Cero in Resurrección. :Enhanced Speed: Seiwa's speed in this state has also increased greatly, to the point where he can cover long distances in a mere fraction of a second. He was able to keep up with the likes of Koga, despite the latter being in his Tenkai release. Kamui compared his speed to be almost similar in concept to how Gin Ichimaru's Bankai, Kamishini no Yari, functions. :Immense Strength & Durability: When he has transformed, Seiwa's already impressive strength is greatly enhanced. His overall abilities are great enough that he was able to fend off three Shinigami Captains with a single punch each; one of which shattered one of their Zanpakutō at the same time, which was in its Bankai even. His strength is also great enough to effortlessly stop repeated Kidō attacks from Kamui and shatter the Zanpakutō of Master Kyō, both feats with a single hand. Zanpakutō Samjae (삼제, three elements) is the name of Seiwa's Zanpakutō, which was awakened during his battle with Yūryaku Amida. Quotes Behind the Scenes Seiwa was inspired by Yusuke Urameshi, from the original manga series Yu Yu Hakusho. Following my sudden returning interest in Yu Yu Hakusho, I had wanted to design a character similar to Yusuke. Originally, I was planning to convert my Seireitou Kawahiru character into "my Yusuke", but considering that doing that wouldn't allow me much room for power-plot development. So I decided to create a character from scratch, which resulted in Seiwa. Trivia * Seiwa (清和) means "true harmony" * Yumehira (夢ひら) means "common dream"